Air/water powered rocket toy with inflatable fuselage

ABSTRACT

A toy rocket with an inflatable fuselage that may have a height between 3 to 20 feet. The inflatable fuselage if propelled from a stand by fluid pressure. The fluid pressure is preferably created through both hydraulic and pneumatic pressure to create a relatively high pressure level. The high fluid pressure can lift the relatively large fuselage a considerable distance into the air. Utilizing a fuselage that is inflatable allows for a large fuselage that can be deflated and stored in a marketable package. The liquid/air pressure creates a pressure source that is both safe and sufficient to propel the large fuselage into the air.

REFERENCE TO CROSS-RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to provisional Application No.60/477,315, filed on Jun. 9, 2003.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an inflatable toy rocket that can bepropelled by a fluid pressure.

2. Prior Art

There have been marketed various fluid powered toys. For example, TomyToys marketed a line of toy products under the name AIR JAMMER ROADRAMMERS that included a molded plastic car powered by air pressurecreated through a hand-held pump.

There have been marketed various types of fluid pressured rockets thatcan be propelled from a stand. U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,623 assigned to SpinMaster Toys discloses a toy rocket that can be pressurized with acombination of liquid and air pressure. The pressure is created througha hand operated pump. Both Spin Master Toys and Ohio Art Co. separatelymarketed liquid/air powered toy rockets. These rockets were relativelysmall in size, being under 1 foot in length.

Although these prior art products were intended for children, theirutilization of rigid fuselages created safety concerns because thepressurized launch of a hard plastic object, either by a child or withchildren present, could present a hazard should the hard plasticfuselage strike the child.

Estes Industries marketed a solid fuel propelled rocket that included aninflatable MYLAR fuselage. The inflatable fuselage was six feet long.Unfortunately, many local ordinances preclude the firing of solid fuelrockets thereby limiting the usefulness of the toy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A toy rocket with an inflatable fuselage that is supported by a stand.The toy rocket includes a pump that can create a fluid pressure, and arelease mechanism that allows the pressure to propel the inflatablefuselage from the stand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toy rocket;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the toy rocket;

FIGS. 3A-B are side views showing the operation of a safety mechanism ofthe toy rocket;

FIGS. 4A-B are side views showing the operation of an alternateembodiment of the safety mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a releasemechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is a toy rocket with an inflatable fuselage that may have aheight between 3 to 20 feet. The inflatable fuselage is propelled from astand by fluid pressure. The fluid pressure is preferably createdthrough both hydraulic and pneumatic pressure to create a relativelyhigh pressure level. The high fluid pressure can lift the relativelylarge fuselage a considerable distance into the air. Utilizing afuselage that is inflatable allows for a large fuselage that can bedeflated and stored in a marketable package. The liquid/air pressurecreates a pressure source that is both safe and sufficient to propel thelarge fuselage into the air. The inflatable fuselage will also be lesslikely to cause injury if it strikes a person.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers, FIGS.1 and 2 show an embodiment of a toy rocket 10. The toy rocket 10includes an inflatable fuselage 12 that can be propelled from a stand14. The fuselage 12 is constructed from a flexible material that can beinflated with a gas such as air. By way of example, the fuselage 12 mayhave an inlet port 16 that allows a user to manually pressurize thefuselage 12. The fuselage 12 may be constructed from a relativelylightweight yet durable material such as MYLAR (polyester film) with awall thickness between 0.010 and 0.035 inches. Although MYLAR has beendescribed, it is to be understood that other lightweight and durablematerials could be used such as polyethylene. The fuselage 12 ispreferably relatively large with a height between 3 to 20 feet. Thisprovides a toy with a size that more accurately simulates the height ofa non-toy rocket.

The toy rocket 10 may include a base 18 that receives a bottom portionof the inflatable fuselage 12. The base 18 provides a means tostructurally support and couple the fuselage 12 to the stand 14. Thebase 18 may be constructed from a lightweight foam material. A pluralityof fins 20 can be attached to the base 18 to improve the aerodynamicperformance of the fuselage.

The rocket 10 may have a pressure chamber 22 that is also located withinthe base 18. The pressure chamber 22 may contain a fluid pressure thatpropels the fuselage 12, base 18 and chamber 22 from the stand 14. Thepressure chamber 22 may be constructed from a hard plastic material,such as polyethylene terephthelate, that is able to withstand relativelyhigh pressures without rupture.

The pressure chamber 22 is in fluid communication with an inner channel24 of the stand 14. The inner channel 24 can be in fluid communicationwith a liquid tank 26. The liquid tank 26 can be filled with a liquidsuch as water through an opening 28 and sealed with a top 30. The liquidtank 26 can be coupled to a pump 32 by a hose 34. The pump 32 may have ahandle 36 that can be manually operated to create a pressure within thetank 26 and the pressure chamber 22.

The toy rocket 10 may have a release mechanism 40 that releases thepressure chamber 22 from the stand 14 so that the internal fluidpressure propels the fuselage 12, base 18 and chamber 22. The releasemechanism 40 may include a lever arm 42 that is pivotally connected to acollar 44 by linkages 46. The collar 44 may contain an O-ring 48 to sealthe bottle 22. The bottle 22 may have a groove 50 that cooperates withthe release mechanism 40 to secure and release the base 18, pressurechamber 22 and fuselage 12. The toy rocket may further have a splashguard 52.

In operation, the user inflates the fuselage 12 and inserts the inflatedfuselage 12 into the base 18. The base 18 and pressure chamber 22 areloaded onto the stand 14.

The user operates the pump 32 to increase the pressure in the liquidtank 26 and the pressure chamber 22. The user then depresses the lever42 to release the pressure chamber 22 from the stand 14. The pressure ofthe fluid within the pressure chamber 22 creates a propulsion force thatlifts the fuselage 12, base 18 and chamber 22 into the air away from thestand.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the toy rocket 10 may have a safetymechanism 60 that prevents propulsion of the fuselage 12 unless thestand 14 is on the ground. This prevents a user from holding and firingthe fuselage 12 at another person. The safety mechanism 60 may include aspring loaded cam 62 that is coupled to a safety pin 64. The safety pin64 may become locked into a corresponding aperture 66 in the levermechanism 42.

When the stand 14 is on a surface such as the ground, the cam 62 ispushed into an upward position. Movement of the cam 62 pulls the pin 64out of the aperture 66 so that the lever 42 can be depressed as shown inFIG. 3A. If the stand 14 is not on a surface the pin 64 remains withinthe aperture 66 and locks the lever 42 as shown in FIG. 3B.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the safety mechanism 60′ may include auniversal joint 68 that inhibits the release of the fuselage when thestand 14 is tilted at an angle. The universal joint 68 may have a slot70 that receives an end 72 of the cam 62.

When the stand 14 is in a horizontal position the cam end 72 moves intothe slot 70 to allow movement of the cam 62 and pin 64, as shown in FIG.4A. Movement of the pin 64 allows the lever 42 to be depressed and thefuselage to be launched. If the stand 14 is tilted, the cam end 72cannot move into the slot 70 and the pin 64 remains in the leveraperture 66, as shown in FIG. 4B. The safety mechanism 60′ insures avertical lift of the fuselage, thereby improving the safety of the toyrocket 10.

FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a release mechanism 40. The release mechanism40 may include one or more flexible fingers 80 that extend throughopenings 82 of the stand 14 and into the groove 50 of the bottle 22. Theflexible fingers 80 have a spring force that bias the fingers 80 awayfrom the groove 50.

When the collar 44 is moved in a downward direction, cam portions 84 ofthe fingers 80 become aligned with grooves 86 of the collar 44. Thisalignment of the cam portions 84 and grooves 86 allow the spring forcesto move the fingers out of the groove 50 to release the bottle 22. Thecollar 44 is moved by the lever (shown in FIG. 2). The release mechanism40 may have a spring 88 that returns the collar 44 back to the originalposition.

While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in theaccompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments aremerely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, andthat this invention not be limited to the specific constructions andarrangements shown and described, since various other modifications mayoccur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.

1. A toy rocket, comprising: an inflatable fuselage; a stand thatsupports said inflatable fuselage; a pump coupled to said stand thatcreates a fluid pressure to propel said inflatable fuselage; and, arelease mechanism that allows the fluid pressure to propel saidinflatable fuselage from said stand.
 2. The toy rocket of claim 1,further comprising a base that is coupled to said stand and supportssaid inflatable fuselage.
 3. The toy rocket of claim 2, furthercomprising a plurality of fins attached to said base.
 4. The toy rocketof claim 1, further comprising a liquid tank coupled to said pump. 5.The toy rocket of claim 4, further comprising a pressure chamber coupledto said pump and said liquid tank, the pressure being created withinsaid pressure chamber from a liquid in said liquid tank and a gas fromsaid pump.
 6. The toy rocket of claim 1, wherein said inflatablefuselage has a height between 3 and 20 feet.
 7. The toy rocket of claim1, wherein said release mechanism includes a safety mechanism.
 8. Thetoy rocket of claim 7, wherein said safety mechanism inhibits a releaseof said inflatable fuselage if said stand is not in an essentiallyhorizontal position.
 9. The toy rocket of claim 7, wherein said safetymechanism inhibits a release of said inflatable fuselage if said standis not in contact with a surface.
 10. A toy rocket, comprising: aninflatable fuselage; a stand that supports said inflatable fuselage;pump means for creating a fluid pressure to propel said inflatablefuselage; and, release means for releasing said inflatable fuselage fromsaid stand and allow the fluid pressure to propel said inflatablefuselage from said stand.
 11. The toy rocket of claim 10, furthercomprising a base that is coupled to said stand and supports saidinflatable fuselage.
 12. The toy rocket of claim 11, further comprisinga plurality of fins attached to said base.
 13. The toy rocket of claim10, further comprising a liquid tank coupled to said pump means.
 14. Thetoy rocket of claim 13, further comprising a pressure chamber coupled tosaid pump means and said liquid tank, the pressure being created withinsaid pressure chamber from a liquid from said liquid tank and a gas fromsaid pump means.
 15. The toy rocket of claim 10, wherein said inflatablefuselage has a height between 3 and 20 feet.
 16. The toy rocket of claim10, wherein said release means includes a safety mechanism.
 17. The toyrocket of claim 16, wherein said safety mechanism inhibits a release ofsaid inflatable fuselage if said stand is not in an essentiallyhorizontal position.
 18. The toy rocket of claim 16, wherein said safetymechanism inhibits a release of said inflatable fuselage if said standis not in contact with a surface.
 19. A method for propelling a toyrocket, comprising: inflating a fuselage; coupling the inflated fuselageto a stand; creating a fluid pressure that can propel the inflatedfuselage; and, releasing the inflated fuselage so that the fluidpressure propels the inflated fuselage from the stand.
 20. The method ofclaim 19, wherein the fluid pressure is created by a liquid and a gas.21. The method of claim 19, wherein the release is inhibited if thestand is not in an essentially horizontal position.
 22. The method ofclaim 19, wherein the release in inhibited if the stand is not incontact with a surface.